In the view of the Council for Peace and Security, this document, with its unbalanced approach, encourages terrorism against democratic countries.
It is simply not acceptable that after years of restraint, during which the Israeli settlements within the firing range of Gaza were under continual bombardment, and after Israel took steps including abandonment of their settlements within Gaza to quieten the situation, that Israel in defending herself, is being accused of war crimes.
It is not acceptable that there is no clear distinction made between attacker and defender, while Hamas was continuing to fire its rockets with the declared intention of destroying Israel.
It is not acceptable that a report be written that demands that democratic Israel be deprived the right to fight this terrorist onslaught.
It is doubtful whether the writers of the report understood the difficulties faced by a regular army fighting in built-up areas against an enemy that deliberately exploits civilian installations as military bases. It is an enemy that does not wear a uniform and that hides behind civilians and civilian buildings, forcing Israel inevitably and unwillingly to cause some civilian casualties. The enemy's use of suicide attacks makes it difficult to distinguish between the fighting enemy and innocent bystanders.
It is the right and duty of an army to protect its soldiers from booby-traps and the cynical use of civilians as human shields.
Inevitably in the "Cast Lead" campaign Israel made unintentional mistakes during the fighting. Such mistakes must be thoroughly investigated by formal enquiry, and lessons must be learned from the findings.
